


Unbreakable Bond

by AeonTheDimensionalGirl



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: AU for Episode 83, And SoG, Angst with a Happy Ending, One Shot, Pre-Season 9 (Hunted), garmadon is internaly screaming, kai is mad at lloyd, lloyd actually realizes that harumi is an emotional manipulator, lloyd angst, suprise bitch, the golden power is like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 16:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14382489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonTheDimensionalGirl/pseuds/AeonTheDimensionalGirl
Summary: "I've played many roles. Worn many masks: Father. Husband. Brother. Teacher. But only one was summoned back…. DESTROYER!"The Garmadon 'family reunion' takes a very different turn. (Alternative ending for Episode 83 and SoG)





	Unbreakable Bond

**Author's Note:**

> I liked how SoG ended, but this idea started to grow in my head after I re-watched episodes 82 and 83, and playing a bit with what Tommy Andersen said about Lloyd’s power protecting him…. and since I’m a sucker for Lloyd angst… Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, notice, some dialogue comes directly from episode 83.

After waking up, it took him a little while to figure out something was wrong.

Really, really wrong.

He felt…. Empty.

He could also feel that he had his previous form. The one obtained after years in the underworld made an impact on the venom of the Great Devourer that had flooded through his veins since childhood. The one which bore destruction, torment.

But on the inside…. On the inside he felt like the same man with the same venom that even though he was destined to be evil, still managed to fall in love and father a son that he loved dearly and hated to fight with. He felt like the man saved and restored by his son’s love.

But that man was trapped inside an empty shell. He could only hear and watch as the young woman who brought him back (Harumi, if he remembered correctly) talk and praise the monster, calling him the true savior of Ninjago, the defeater of the Great Devourer, the only ruler this realm should have.

Garmadon really wanted to scream in frustration. The only thing his body responded with was a grunt, and Harumi seemed take that as an agreement to what she just had said.

Soon, eighteen people, all dressed in black and drawing out weapons, came into the room both of them were in. Harumi simply smiled as he looked around.

“They’re here for your enjoyment. To blow off some steam”

Five minutes later and they were all in the ground, grunting or crawling away in pain while Harumi simply laughed.

“Good, your strength has returned, but there’s still much more” she said while approaching Garmadon. “All those years, your father and brother kept the truth from you. They were afraid of what you would become”

_“Well, you try being bitten by an evil snake that slowly corrupts you!”_ Garmadon tried to say.

“The power of both Oni and Dragon flows through you! You have the power to create-”

_“Uh, no I don’t. That was Lloyd’s! It’s still Lloyd’s! The Oni and the Dragon was a fairytale analogy my father used to explain the balance of good and evil inside and me and Wu! What twisted version have they taught you, child?”_

“-And destroy!”

This caught the monsters attention.

**“Tell me…. how”** he grunted. Harumi smiled.

“As Wu had previously taught the ninja, you too can unlock your true potential! A dark potential” she explained.

Garmadon tensed. He didn’t like where this was heading. The last time his true potential had been unleashed things didn’t not went well.

“But to achieve it, you must overcome one obstacle that has always stood in your way… the one person who has always held you back” Harumi continued to explain.

_“No… not him, not him!”_ Garmadon tried to get control of his body, to prevent the monster from answering, anything-

**“My…. Son”**

Garmadon cursed.

“Yes” Harumi answered deviously, “Lloyd”.

**“Then… bring him to me”** the monster commanded. Harumi smiled.

“I won’t have to, he _will_ come”

And Garmadon knew she was right.

_“Lloyd…. I fear you can’t save me this time”_

* * *

 “FATHER! COME OUT AND FACE ME!”

Garmadon closed his eyes. Although he hadn’t seen Lloyd in years, he still recognized his son’s voice, even though it had changed…. It sounded more matured. Lloyd was probably in his late teens or early twenties. Goodness, how long had he been dead?

The monster, however, didn’t move from his spot. They were lurking in the shadows, just like old times. The only sound in the prison were the soft, cautious footsteps that neared closer and closer to the cells. As every step resonated, Garmadon prayed that Lloyd would turn around.

However, if there was one thing that Lloyd had inherited from both him and Misako was stubbornness, especially if family or friends were in the picture.

The sound of a door sealing shut brought Garmadon’s attention; while neither he nor the monster could see the Green Ninja, but it was obvious that they were now stuck together.

Garmadon made an attempt to speak, but the monster didn’t want to let him. The old Sensei concentrated, putting a huge effort in trying to let his voice be known:

**_“It was foolish to come here!”_ **

It came out raspy and forced, but at least he had won that internal battle.

“Show yourself, Father!” was Lloyd’s only response. Garmadon could see him now, back turned and green power ready to use.

The monster moved, slowly coming out of the shadows, grunting as he did so. The Sensei gave himself a small pat in the back for tiring him a little bit.

And then Lloyd turned half around to face him. Garmadon’s breath got caught in his throat and he didn’t even noticed that both he and the monster had said the same thing.

**_“You-you’ve changed”_ **

Indeed he had. His pale blond hair was longer, wilder; his facial structures were more matured. He was taller. And his eyes… even though the green elemental power concealed their true color, Garmadon could see beyond the bright green a blazing hot red.

In the name of the First Spinjitzu Master, Lloyd had grown up to look almost like him.

Speaking of his son, he didn’t look very surprised to see his father back with his monstrous appearance.

“So have you”, Lloyd replied, completely turning around. He dropped the green element, his face going soft, “I don’t want to fight you”, he said, voice nearly pleading.

Memories of a younger Lloyd saying the same thing replayed on Garmadon’s head.

_“Neither do I, son”_

And before he knew it, his body, the monster, was attacking Lloyd. His son quickly drew back, his elemental power back into action, evading another attack before jumping towards higher ground.

“Please, this isn’t you!” Lloyd begged.

_“I know son, and I’m sorry”_ Garmadon wanted to say, to scream.

**“THIS IS THE NEW ME”** the monster replied before conjuring a ball of dark purple energy. Lloyd looked shocked.

“You have power…” he whisper-shouted before dogging the attack. And the next one, and the other one.

Evading the last one forced Lloyd to return to the same level as Garmadon, positioning himself behind him.

“I didn’t come to fight you”, Lloyd explained as the monster turned around, growling, “My father is somewhere in there! I saved you once” he said, determined, as the monster approached, “I’ll save you again”.

Despite his despair at having to watch himself attack his son, Garmadon felt a surge of pride in his chest.

_“After all this time… you still try to save everyone”_

And that little moment of pride quickly shattered.

**“THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO SAVE!”** Lord Garmadon proclaimed.

Lloyd gasped and took a step back in shock. He barely had time to think before the monster attacked once more. The elements of life and destruction clashed once again.

_“Lies! I’m still here, son!”_ Garmadon attempted to scream back.

The monster made way to push the Green Ninja into the wall, but Lloyd moved away just in time before the four arms nearly destroyed the stone. The young ninja fell to the floor with a yelp, looking up as the monsters walked towards him with the destruction power in his hands.

**“I’ve played many roles…”** Lord Garmadon said as he fired towards Lloyd, who attempted to backflip, but the ball hit him in the back… followed by another one to the chest. And another.

_“LLOYD!”_ Garmadon screamed in horror. But Lloyd landed on his feet, panting, seemingly not noticing the energy that had been in his suit when the element of destruction hit.

Wait.

Energy?

**“….Worn many masks: Father-”** One more beam hit Lloyd in the shoulder, and Garmadon forced himself to pay attention to the energy that formed. It looked… green, but also golden…

**“-Husband-”** Another hit, in the same spot, this time sending Lloyd falling to the stairs, to which he leaned for support.

_“Could it be?”_ Garmadon mused as the energy manifested again.

**“-Brother-”** A missed hit to which his son flinched when it hit the wall.

**“-Teacher!”** This time it the destructive element hit Lloyd again, the young one giving a small scream of pain, breaking Garmadon’s heart. His son looked up to the monster in fear as he scrambled to get up.

**“But only one was summoned back…”** Lloyd tried to run from the new beam that formed but the monster managed to hit him, sending his son flying towards one of the open cells. Lloyd screamed with the impact.

**“….DESTROYER!”** Lord Garmadon declared.

_“Lloyd! Please, get out of here. It’s useless now”_ Sensei Garmadon pleaded. Where were the rest of the Ninja? Where was his brother? His wife?

However, his son did not stand down. He leaped from the cell towards the monster, and soon they were engaging in hand to hand combat, with purple energy surrounding the monster. Despite the hits he had sustained, Lloyd was defending himself well.

_“The energy…. It’s possible the elemental power of life was protecting him, but the gold one, could it be possible to have it back?”_ Garmadon wondered while they drew back before fighting again.

“Dad! Listen to me!” Lloyd pleaded once again as he continued to dodge the monster’s arms, “You don’t have to do this! Harumi is using you as a pawn!”

_“Really? I didn’t notice”_ Garmadon thought bitterly.

**“YOU ARE THE PAWN!”** was the monster’s reply as he attacked once more, **“A PAWN TO YOUR OWN FOOLISHNESS!”** as he gained speed with his attacks.

Foolishness? What was his monstrous, empty self talking abou-

Oh.

Harumi had mentioned that he was the true savior of Ninjago for stopping the Great Devour. She wanted him to kill Lloyd… because his eight year old son wanted to follow his footsteps and released three Serpentine tribes and-

She wanted revenge.

That woman was either a psychopath or a genius or both.

But Lloyd had been a child. And he regret releasing the Serpentine, numerous times.

A yelp brought the old Sensei back to reality, and he regretted it.

Lord Garmadon had just grabbed Lloyd and threw him to a wall, breaking right through it. The gold/green energy engulfed the Green Ninja to protect him from most of the impact, but when Lloyd landed, he did with a scream. Coughs were heard alongside moans of pain. And the monster followed. Lloyd weakly got up, forming his elemental power and throwing a beam towards Lord Garmadon, but he dogged, giving the young ninja an evil smile before grabbing Lloyd and shoving him to the wall.

Lloyd attempted to form another beam, but the monster got ahead of him and formed a beam of his own that sent Lloyd flying back to the main fighting spot.

The Green Ninja got up, panting and-

Garmadon nearly managed to make his body stop from shock.

Lloyd’s red eyes were back. The fight was draining him. He was sustaining injuries that his power could not serve as a shield.

The monster growled, and Lloyd prepared to attack, hesitating for a moment, his natural red eyes holding a sad look of near acceptance, before becoming green once again as his hand emitted his power, the protecting energy appearing briefly before both ninjas resumed the fight.

This time, Garmadon noticed, Lloyd didn’t seem to hold back anything, he kicked, he punched... He could see his son’s emotions flow through the attacks: anger, sadness…

But eventually, Lloyd’s energy started to fail him. One more direct hit from the monster, and the Green Ninja’s attacks became weaker after the little flow of energy offered protection.

_“Lloyd…”_

The ninja got thrown back into the ground, while the monster threw rocks at him, his son barely managing to doge them.

_“Son…”_

Lloyd got up, not seeing his father, when the monster came out of nowhere and grabbed him by the neck.

“You w-wouldn’t hurt me….” Lloyd whispered, “Your son…”

Lord Garmadon locked his red eyes with the ninja’s.

**“I have no son”**

And the monster, not caring for heartbroken look on the young man’s face, proceeded to throw Lloyd to the prison’s walls once again with brutal force.

_“Forgive me”_

* * *

 Lloyd felt himself fly through at least four walls of concrete.

But the pain that came with each hit of a pile of bricks was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

Harumi’s betrayal and emotional manipulation had been one thing, but this? His father no longer recognizing him? That was way worse.

When the brick walls of the prison no longer stood in his back’s way, Lloyd swore that some light had surrounded his body for two seconds before he found himself falling to the ground, the strange light momentarily forgotten to make space for the settling panic.

_“FSM, I’m going to die”_ was the only thing that came to his mind before he hit the ground.

_One._

The weird light was back… and it was green?

_Two._

No, wait… that was… gold…

The third time did the trick. Pain and Lloyd were no strangers to each other, if there was an embodiment of pain, it would follow the Green Ninja like a shadow.

The golden light briefly surrounded him once again, and for a moment, Lloyd simply felt like someone had punch him in the gut instead to falling through concrete into the hard ground.

He lay there for a bit, eyes closed and body limp as a million thoughts somehow managed to make way on his brain. That golden light…. It was impossible.

The Overlord had taken most of it, and Lloyd had distributed what had been left with Kai, Jay, Zane and Cole…

He opened his eyes as he felt a pair of eyes on him. He didn’t have to turn around to know they belong to the Sons of Garmadon and his fath- Lloyd couldn’t bear to finish that thought as he choked down a sob and attempted to crawl away. If his golden power was really back, he had to get out of there.

Now.

His body was screaming an alert that clearly said ‘JUST FACE THE DARK WORLD OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS BEFORE YOU MAKE IT WORSE’

Just a little further….

BAM!

Lloyd quickly debated if he should waste more energy trying to turn around to see what just landed near him or just keep crawling to the higher rocks in the ground. He quickly found out he didn’t have to when someone kicked him on side, forcing him to face the sky and his attacker.

“Ha…umi” Lloyd panted. The devil princess of Ninjago smiled wickedly.

“Leaving so soon?” she asked in a disgustingly sweet voice, “That back there just look to the begging to your end to me”

Of course Harumi had watched the ‘family reunion’. If his ribs weren’t killing him, Lloyd would have surely laughed.

Instead he managed to glare at her.

“The red eyes won’t work on me anymore, Lloyd” Harumi said.

“W-wha… u do… to…him” he barely managed to reply. Harumi laughed.

“Well, didn’t you pay attention? We brought back Lord Garmadon”

“U… brough… back… a monster” Lloyd murmured.

“I brought back a hero!” Harumi spat at his face, “And he defeated the villain” she said with a smirk while looking at him.

Hard footsteps approached along with a grunting Lloyd had managed to become familiar with in the span of fifteen minutes. Harumi, in a quick move, grabbed Lloyd by the hair, forcing him to look at the monster she had resurrected.

“And now”, said as she adjusted her grip on Lloyd, “I’ll make sure the hero finishes the villain, like in the fairytales, and the princess will proclaim him to be the new ruler of the land!”

_“How in my grandfather’s name did I fall for her?!”_ Lloyd thought as Lord Garmadon approached. He wanted to fight his way out, but he was already in a bad shape, and he feared that a wrong move would reveal more golden energy. He now really, really regretted locking the Ninja in the _Bounty_. But he had a good reason, they were talking about possibly destroying the parent who had cared most for him in his life! Lloyd had to see for himself if Garmadon was truly back as one hundred percent evil. Heck, even in his evil phase, Garmadon had been a more caring parent than Misako.

But Lloyd could not see any trace of that man left. There was a small part of him, however, one that was not bruised and hurt that still believed so.

“Lord Garmadon, I give you honor to finish your enemy, to fully archive your true potential!” Harumi declared as Ultra Violet handed the monster two swords. The Quiet One then handed Lloyd to Killow, who forced the Green Ninja to stand up by pulling continuing to pull him by the hair. The young ninja grunted in pain, but the only movement he dared to do was to look at Lord Garmadon in the eye.

Vibrant red meeting vibrant red.

Garmadon looked at the swords, then back at Lloyd, then back at his other arms, which were still leaking the element of destruction.

“Is he trying to decide which way to kill him?” Lloyd heard Ultra Violet whisper to Harumi.

And it was then when Lloyd, despite starting to see dark spots in his vision, saw it:

Doubt.

There was doubt in Lord Garmadon’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at the weapons, he was looking back at Lloyds eyes.

And.

There.

Was.

Doubt.

In.

His.

Eyes.

And for one moment, one shinning little moment, Lloyd saw his father staring back at him.

It was then were it hit Lloyd the next realization:

The return of Lord Garmadon and the golden shimmer in his body were not coincidences.

If the element of destruction was back, then so did the element of creation.

“So, uh, are you going to do it or…?” Killow asked. Lord Garmadon growled at him, and the giant man tensed.

“You won’t do it” Lloyd whispered, his voice coming out surprisingly steady. “Despite what you said a while ago, you still consider me your son, just like you did when it was revealed I was meant to be the Green Ninja”

The grip on Lord Garmadon’s swords tightened and the elemental power gained more color, but something shifted in the monster’s eyes.

“Shut up!” Harumi yelled at the ninja, “He’s messing with you, sir! Don’t listen to him!” she pleaded to Garmadon.

But Lloyd kept talking.

“You remember, don’t you? The Golden Weapons declared me the Green Ninja, and despite the fact that from now on we were meant to be enemies, you said you were proud of me…. You always did, even at your darkest moment” as he talked, Lloyd couldn’t help but smile.

Lord Garmadon grunted and his face twisted in a strange way, like he was trying to force himself to say something. Everyone tensed for a moment. And then…

**_“Lloyd, I’m-”_ **

BOOM!

“MIND IF WE JOIN THE PARTY?!” a voice that could only belong to Cole came from above. Before Lloyd knew it, a back blur that could only be the Black Ninja knocked down Lord Garmadon, while Nya and Zane took on Killow, who in the surprise dropped Lloyd, who fell to the ground in more pain than before, nearly passing out right there.

“ATTACK THEM” Harumi commanded to the Sons of Garmadon.

Lloyd barely managed to lift his head when he felt someone pick him up. Blinking away dark spots, he realized Kai was carrying him away from the battle.

“You have no idea how pissed and worried I am right now, young man” the Red Ninja said while Harumi shouted something regarding Garmadon above the heat of the new battle. “First you lock us in the _Destiny’s Bounty_ , manage to lock the navigation system and then nearly get yourself killed while Harumi makes a whole freaking live show about it”

“Kai-” Lloyd attempted to say, but the ninja with the element of fire kept on talking.

“I mean, what the hell, Lloyd?! Gaining a crush on Harumi I can forgive and forget, cause honestly? Been there. But this was totally and completely irresponsible! Heck! It’s something I would have done!” Kai came to a stop behind some of the rocks, adjusting Lloyd from fireman’s carry to bride-style carry.

“My…golden power…. is back” Lloyd panted; gone was the little strength that had been with him a minute ago.

Kai nearly dropped him, looking at Lloyd wide-eyed before scrunching his eyes at him.

“You must have a concussion” he muttered. Lloyd nearly screamed at him in frustration.

“I-I don’t. It re-really is back, it-it was protecting me from my fath-Lord Garmadon’s attacks, along with my green elemental power” he explained. Kai opened this to argue, but he closed it almost immediately.

“Okay, say I believe you” Kai said, not missing the little glimmer of hope in Lloyd’s eyes, “But what are you going to do about it? You’re badly hurt, it’s a miracle that you are still awake, and Garmadon is back to being _the_ Lord Garmad-”

**“YOU CALLED?”**

Before they both knew it, Lord Garmadon had grabbed them before throwing them to the ground below. Lloyd nearly landed in some spiky rocks and would have passed out for sure if it weren’t for the golden power. He heard a few gasps of ‘Impossible!’ coming from the Sons of Garmadon and he knew he was now more than screwed.

“LLOYD, LOOK OUT!” Kai’s scream sent him rolling to the side, barely missing being impaled by the swords.

“So this is why you are still standing” Harumi hissed as she got them out of the ground, “The golden power, the most powerful of all the elemental powers, creation and light”

Lloyd attempted to stand up to face her, but his legs shocked and his knees buckled. Harumi laughed.

“You know, for someone who is the elemental master of life and energy, you sure don’t have much energy left” she said before attacking again. This time Lloyd was too slow: one blade cut his left shoulder, the other his right cheek. He stumbled backwards, back hitting another rock. Harumi came in closer, and Lloyd realized he was trapped.

“It’s over Lloyd, Lord Garmadon and my troupes are finishing your friends off” she smiled before stabbing one of the swords below the side on Lloyd’s stomach, the Green Ninja screaming in pain, his hands instinctively trying to stop the sword from going any deeper.

The Quiet One left the blade there, literally binding Lloyd to the rock.

“Good luck trying to get out of this one” Harumi laughed before calling out to the monster, “OH LORD GARMADON! GUESS WHO I CAUGHT FOR YOU??”

A roar was heard, along with some “Oh no you won’t!” (Lloyd was quite sure that had been Nya and Jay).

Loud growls and footsteps were heard.

Swords clashed.

Battle yells from both Sons of Garmadon and Ninja filled the night.

In the seconds it took Lord Garmadon to approach, Lloyd’s mind was filled with thought.

_“It’s over”_ one voice that sounded like Cole’s said.

_“But dad’s still there!”_ another voice replied in Kai’s fiery tone.

_“I’m dying”_ Lloyd heard his own voice say.

_“Feels like quitting”_ Jay’s voice resonated.

_“Maybe is for the best”_ Zane’s voice mussed.

“Maybe it is…” Lloyd whispered as the monst-his father approached. He suddenly felt something light up in his chest. Memories of a younger him trying to get to his possessed father came up… he saw himself trying to climb a building while battling an army of darkness… facing a terrifying dragon…. A darkness…

_"Lloyd, stay… strong”_ Garmadon’s voice made a path on his troubled mind.

Lloyd reached a decision, momentarily closing his eyes as the light feeling gained strength. He was not afraid of it, instead welcoming it once again, as the light felt like chasing the darkness that had threatened to take over as he repeated

“A ninja never quits”

“What did you just say?” Harumi demanded, but Lloyd ignored her, opening his eyes and setting his gaze on Lord Garmadon, who was now glowing with the element of destruction. He could see the Ninja and the Sons of Garmadon approaching.

“I don’t believe a destroyer was brought back” Lloyd said, voice strong once again. Lord Garmadon halted, but after some growling he continued to approach.

“I you really were just a destroyer, a heartless monster, then-”

Garmadon was inches away from him. Lloyd closed his eyes, focusing on his own power, what was left of it, what was back. Life and energy were all around him, and with it….

“-How come I’m still alive?”

Lloyd opened his eyes, which were flowing back with green, as the power of creation engulfed him, sending Lord Garmadon and Harumi stumbling backwards.

He was still strapped to the rock, the blade still in his body, but Lloyd barely felt the pain, concentrating instead on the golden light that now surrounded him, the golden Gi back in place.

The Gold Ninja ignored the gasps of surprise and outrage from both Ninja and Sons of Garmadon, his eyes set only for Lord Garmadon.

“I see my father in there” the elemental master of creation spoke firmly.

**“THE ONLY THING LEFT IN ME… IS DARKNESS!”** growled Lord Garmadon before shooting a beam at the ninja, who successfully blocked it.

“Then my light will extinguish the darkness” Lloyd said as the golden energy broke the blade and restored his strength, finally allowing him to move. Harumi made a motion to try an attack on him, but the light had formed a barrier between the two Garmadons, leaving the battle once again between the two.

Lord Garmadon continued to shot beams towards Lloyd, but he effortlessly repelled every single one of them until he was once again closer to his father.

But Lloyd didn’t draw out a weapon. Instead, he offered up his right hand to a seemingly shocked Garmadon.

“Come back, dad” Lloyd’s voice came out softly, like a child waking up a parent after a nightmare, “Please”.

Lord Garmadon looked at Lloyd, then back at his hand. Slowly, he reached out his upper left hand, which started to shake as it nearly joined Lloyd’s…

… and then it wrapped on the Golden Ninja’s neck, who gasped in shock.

In the small distance, Harumi laughed.

**“Fighting… is….useless”** the elemental master growled.

Lloyd quickly noticed that even though Lord Garmadon’s word were intended to come out as hurtful, they were coming out more like rasps, and the grip on his neck was not as suffocating as it had been inside the prison… like something was holding the monster back.

His father was fighting to free himself too.

Lloyd managed to bring out his hands to Garmadon’s face, the golden power shining in them.

**“NO….the… DARKNESS… shall… PREVAIL”** the monster didn’t let go of Lloyd, but he still attempted to bring his face out of reach.

Lloyd smiled softly as a feeling of déjà vu quickly went through him and his golden power quickly surrounded both Garmadons.

_“Not unless my light shines bright enough”_ he declared once again.

A bright light.

A scream.

The last thing Lloyd saw was his father reaching out for him before finally meeting darkness. 

* * *

 The first thing Garmadon noticed when he opened his eyes was the sky.

Then he noticed he felt different.

He no longer felt empty and full of hatred. He no longer felt two additional arms on his torso.

“Lloyd… you did it!” Garmadon quickly got up in the excitement, “You did it again, son!” he said as he turned around looking for a mop of blond hair, “You saved m- Lloyd?”

His son laid on the ground, unmoving.

Garmadon’s breath got caught in his throat.

“LLOYD!”

He got to his son in record time, quickly crunching down and making Lloyd face upwards.

Garmadon nearly wished he hadn’t.

His son was pale as a sheet; bruises and cuts were visible not only on his face, but on his body, his green Gi nearly torn down. His pulse was low and his breaths painfully slow. The small piece of blade that Harumi had put on him was still there, and Garmadon was tempted to pull it out, but even he knew that would only cause Lloyd more harm that he had already-

Oh, right.

He had done this.

_He had hurt Lloyd._

Garmadon chocked down a sob as he cradled his son closer to him.

“I’m here, Lloyd” he whispered as the tears rolled out of his eyes and fell on his son’s hair, “Daddy’s here, I’m here, I’m not leaving…”

He could faintly hear some cautious footsteps approaching, but the Sensei honestly didn’t care right now if it was that foolish cult.

“… Please don’t leave me”

“Sensei Garmadon?”

The man lift his head, instantly recognizing the voice that belonged to the Red Ninja, whose eyes widened when he saw Lloyd. A few gasps came from the other ninja, but the only one that moved next to both Garmadons was Kai’s sister, Nya.

“He needs medical attention” she said, looking at Garmadon.

“It’s too bad, I hurt him too much, I fear he won’t survive a ride to a healer” the old Sensei said with a broken voice.

“We came in the _Bounty_!” the Black Ninja jumped out of his shock. “We still have some medical supplies” he explained.

“But Sensei Garmadon is right” the White Ninja’s monotone voice cut in the conversation, “I’ve already scanned Lloyd, the injuries sustained in the battle may have been mostly covered by the golden power, but now… it may be too late”

Sorrow hung in the air.

“Wait”, Garmadon couldn’t believe how he didn’t thought about this sooner. “The tea shop that Wu visited for strange herbs, the woman who runs it, can’t she help?” maybe he was hanging on a dead end, but if it meant saving Lloyd from joining the departed realm…

“It is the closest thing on the way to the city!” the Blue Ninja cried out. “Misake definitely has something!”

“If she had tea to journey to the underworld and Tomorrow’s Tea, she has something that can save Lloyd” Kai said before calling into a communicator. “Pixal, bring the _Bounty_ to our location, ASAP”

In less than a minute the flying ship had landed near them, Jay and Cole carefully took Lloyd away from Garmadon’s arms in order to place him in a stretcher and bring him inside the ship. Garmadon and the other ninja were about to join in when the old man stopped in his tracks.

“What happened to the cult?” he asked as Lloyd disappeared from his sight.

“We got them trapped in ice and made sure they _don’t_ get out until the police arrives” Nya replied, making Garmadon wonder if the Ninja has actually knocked them out, “That whole light-show got us spread out, we couldn’t see what was happening with you and Lloyd and the Sons of Garmadon decided to give another fight, but it wasn’t until that little battle between you two ended that they realized that it was useless to continue fighting”

“Why?” even though he wanted to be with Lloyd, Garmadon felt that he needed to know what became of the people responsible for bringing the monster back.

Nya didn’t respond, she simply turned around, Garmadon quickly following her gaze.

Zane and Kai were bringing (or rather dragging) the young woman towards the ship, her hands cuffed in chains. Harumi kept trashing, trying to get herself free, but neither ninja were letting go. As they got closer, Garmadon could hear her angry mumbling.

“-I was so close. So close to bringing Ninjago to its former glory! You imbeciles!” she said, only pausing when they caught up to Garmadon and Nya. Angry jade eyes meet old red.

“You could have been the savior of the city! The new Emperor!” Harumi hissed at the old man.

“The only thing I would have brought to Ninjago was death, misery and destruction, young lady” Garmadon coldly replied, “Your quest for vengeance has clearly blinded you, and in your blindness you nearly made me kill my son, who is one of the most important things in my life”

“LLOYD HAD IT COMING!” Harumi barked, “HE RELIEASED THE SERPENTINE, WHO BROUGHT THE GREAT DEVOURER, WHO KILLED MY PARENTS! HE DESERVED IT!”

Now Garmadon truly felt angry.

“He was a child. A desperate, eight year old who wanted to be like his father, just like any other child does. He looked up to me, even though I was not the best role model out there” Garmadon explained with barely controlled rage, “And he has regretted and paid for that mistake numerous time already”

Harumi stood in shock.

“Have a good day”

And with that said, Garmadon boarded the _Destiny’s Bounty_ , leaving behind three impressed ninjas and an outraged psychopath, quickly taking a seat near his unconscious son as he tried to calm down his breathing, faintly wondering where in his father’s name was Wu before deciding to concentrate on the young ninja.

Lloyd was still looking like he was battling death, but the short breaths were the only thing that kept Garmadon from having a complete break-down.

As he scanned his son’s badly hurt body, Garmadon noticed a piece of paper that was sticking out of what was left of Lloyd’s Gi. He took it out carefully, turning it over to see what it was.

The old master couldn’t stop the tears from falling now.

It was a picture, of him and Lloyd, taken before the whole disaster with Cheng and the Tournament of Elements. His son had hang on to it all this time.

Nya soon came in with a wet cloth and proceeded to silently wash Lloyd’s wounds, while Kai came to simply watch.

“I’ll admit that I’m impressed, Sensei Garmadon” the ninja said quietly.

“Over what?” Garmadon tiredly replied as he took his eyes of the picture.

“Over you and Lloyd’s bond” Kai answered, “Even after all this time… it’s still there” he trailed off. Garmadon nodded, silently agreeing with the Red Ninja.

A small, quiet moan was heard, and all the attention was brought to Lloyd. He didn’t wake up, but he did twitched his fingers a little bit.

Garmadon smiled softly as he grabbed Lloyd’s hand, giving it a gently squeeze.

“It’s going to be alright, Lloyd” he murmured, “You will be alright”

He would make sure of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you enjoyed my first Ninjago one-shot!


End file.
